Axle-setting tool.



1. HIRST.-

AXLE SETTING TOOL. APPLxc/mou r|LEu-1uLY 6.1915,

mman,

Patented July 10, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l 1 Hms. AXLE SETTING TUOL. I APPLICATION FILED JULY 6. |915. I 1,288,271. .Patented July/10,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J4/Maf 57 ATE T @FFlQE AXLE-SETTING TOOL.

Application filed J'uly 6, 1915.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JAMES Hins'r, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Ottumwa, in the county of Wapello and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Axle-Setting Tool, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide means for determining the taper of an axle and gaging the spring of an axle so as to give the desired dish and rather to wheels supporting said aXle.

A further object of this invention is to provide means for determining the degree of inclination and forward direction to be given to spindles to provide for the dish and gather of wheels.

A further object of this invention is to provide means of gaging and determiningthe amount of spring and flexing to give a metal axle in order that wheels carrying said axle may have the proper ,degree of gather and dish.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of elements hereinafter set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated by the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure l is a plan illustrating the use of my device in gaging the gather of the spindles on a steel axle. Fig. 2 is a side view of the device. Fig. 3 is an elevation illustrating the use of my device in gaging the inclination of spindles of a Wooden axle, one spindle carrying a skein. Fig. 4 is a front elevation and Fig. 5 is a plan of a caliper and adjusting tool employed in adjusting the setting tool.

In the construction of the tool as shown the numeral 10 designates a gage bar, preferably made of metal and of uniform width and thickness throughout its length. The gage bar 10 is formed with a cross-head on one end forming arms 11, 12, which arms are provided with contact blades 13 on their outer ends, the longest dimension of said blades being at right angles to and crossing the width of the arms. A cross-head 14 is mounted slidingly on the gage bar 10 and is adapted to be secured to said bar Vby a set-screw 15. The cross-head 14 is provided with contact blades 13a on its ends and integral therewith. Further contact blades 13b are mounted on the end portions of the cross-head 14 and are adjustable' to project beyond the blades 13d when desired andare Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 10, 1917.

Serial No. 38,370.

secured in any desired adjustment by setscrews 16. The cross-heads on the gagebar 10 are adapted to be spaced apart approXimately the length of an axle 17, so that in use blades 13, 13a or 13b' may contact with the spindles 18, 19 adjacent to shoulders 20, 21 of said axle. Hence the advantage of adjustable mounting of the crosshead 14 on the bar 10. A bolt or rivet 22 is mounted through the central portion of the fixed cross-head between the arms 11, 12 and a dish-gage bar 23 and a gather-gage bar 24 are arranged parallel with and above and below the bar 10 respectively and are pivoted between their ends on said bolt. A scale plate 25 is mounted on and transversely of the gage bar 10 between the cross-heads and is graduated on both its long margins on its outer face. The inner end portion of the dish-gage bar 23 is attenuated to form a pointer or indicator 26 which is directed toward and adjacent to one graduated margin of the plate 25. A boss 27 is formed in the bar 23 adjacentvto the indicator26 and a slot 28 is formed in said boss and bar and eX- tends transversely of the bar. A set-screw 29 is mounted loosely through the slot 28 and is screwed into the gage-bar 10. A col-' lar 3() is mounted slidingly and non-rotatably on the outer end portion ofthe dish-gage bar 23 and is adapted to be secured in any desired adjustment longitudinally of said bar by a set-screw 31. A gage-arm 32 is mounted slidingly and non-rotatably in the collar 30 and extends transversely of the bar 23 and to one side thereof. The arm 32 is formed with a contact blade 33 on its outer end alining at times with blades 1.3

and 13a on the same side of the gage-bar 10. The arm 32 is secured in any desired adjustment in the collar 30 by a set screw 34. The gather-gage bar 24 is formed with a hook 35 on its inner end, which hook extends over the gage-bar 10 and is formed with a slot 36 transversely of the latter bar, and also is formed with a pointer or indicator' 37 directed toward and adjacent to a graduated margin of the plate 25 opposite to the indicator 26. A set-screw'38 is mounted loosely through the slot 36 and is screwed into the gage-bar 10. A collar 39 is mounted slidingly and non-rotatably on the outer end portion ofthe gather-gage bar 24 and is adapted to be secured in any desired adjustment longitudinally of said bar by a set-screw 40. A gage-arm 41 is portion.

mounted slidingly and non-rotatably in the cellar 39 and extends transversely ot the bar 2t in a direction opposite to that ot the arm 32. The arm l1 is formed with ai contact blade 4t2 on its router end alining at times with bla-des 13 and 13n on thesame side ot vthe gage-bar 10. The arm 41 is secured in any desired adjustmentin the collar 39 by a set-screw `43.'V ThecollarsSO and l@ B9are in superposed relz'itionswhenthe tool is in the horizontal Sposition shown in Fig. The arms 11 and 12may bey otiset or sprung laterally in opposite directions to vbring the blades. 13 into alinement with 15 other-contact blades.

' 25 `ings 47, 48am mountedl rigidly on and project laterally from the end portions ot the sterndl and .have their seats registering on a plane parallel with the trend otsaid stem. `An adjusting scr-ewg, having opposite threads 50, 51. on opposite sides et' itsl een ter, isfjournaled loosely in the seats ot the bearings; 417, 4S. .The screw. is provided with a circumferential tlange 521formed or rigidly fixed on its central portion and said V flange is adaptedto rotate in a guide on the arm 45.

.The screw 19 is provided with means for turning it, such .as a handle 5lat oneend 'and an 'angularshank oof at the opposite end. Cross-heads 55 56 are mount- 'A 40 ed 'loosely on the stem 411 on opposite sides of Vthe arm 415, and portions or' said crossheads are formed Vwith oppositely-threaded screw-seats adapted to receive the screw Lit?) and engageY the threads 50, 51 respectively and, continuing beyond said screw, said port-ions are linishedas parallel' caliper arms 57, 58. Arms 59 .60, et the cross-heads 56 opposite tothe screw #19, .are odset and vextend outwardlyA from thewtrend of the cross-heads and terminate in stems G1, 62

parallel with the stem let and screw Links'V (53, (Sit arev formed with slide bear- V ings 65, 66 on their outerends and at right Vangles thereto/and sa1d`bearmgs are slidingly yand(V nonrotatablyy mounted on the stems 61.," G2 andare adapted te be secured inany desired. adjustment thereon by means of set-s'crt-xw's '67, 68. f Yokes (S9, 70 are formed on and project laterally from inner ce :end Vportions of the links G3, 6l and are adapted to embrace, at times, and be secured b yset-screws .71,7 2 to 'the arms'32 and l1-relspectivelyen theysetting tool.

i Inthe practical use oi this tool, in respect etay metal axle'17, ,to determine the gather and dish ot the spindles, the operation is as lollows: The cross-head @ll isadjusted on the gage-bar 10 so that the blades '13, 13 are spaced to engage the spindles .18. Y1i) adjacent to the lshoulders 20, 2l. Normally, when not in use, the pointers 2G, 3T rest. at O ou the scale bar 25, the bars 10, 23, 2llie parallel with cach other and iu register transversely, and the relative lengths ot the arms or' the cross-head 1-1, arms 11 and 12 and gage arms 3; and al are such that the extremities thereof lie in common planes parallel with the median longitudinal line ot said-bars. hlanipulation lwreinatter described to ascertain the dish and gather o1 spindles on the axle depends on a rearraug ment ot the extremities ot the cross-head ll` arms 11 and 12 and gage arms 32 and l-l which removes them from the common planes above mentioned, The caliper arms are spaced, by manual rotation oi the adjusting screw 4:9, to the diameter oi the tip end of either spindle 18, 19. Then the caliper and adjusting tool is arranged with the yoke lt on and engaging thc bars 23, 2l as shown in Fig. 5; the indicators 2G and 37 being on the centers ot the graduated scales of the plate 25 and secured by tightening ot the set-screws 29 and 3S. The arms 32 and @il aremored inward in the collars 3() and 39 as tar as they willmove and are secured temporarily bv tightening ol the set-screws 34rand 43. The collars 3() and 39 are adjusted on the bars 23 and 2-1- so as to be spaced from the cross-head arms 11, l2 a distance approximating to the length ot the tapering portion of either spindle 1S, l) and secured by tightening the set-screws 3l and The set-screws', 63 are tightened and the yokes (39. are caused to embrace the arms 32 and l1, respectively, and the set screws 71, 72 are tightened. Then the setscrews 34 and 13 are loosened and the caliper is expanded b v manual rotation ol" the adjusting screw 4.79 until said caliper measures (through the use ot the arms .57, 5S) the diameter of the spindler adjacent to the shoulder; the entire tool being handled and manipulated to cause the caliper to embrace the spindle while the axle is supported as on a bench or forge and anvil in a shop, or the axle being manipulated and handled while the tool is supported in a suitable like or simi,- lar manner. Expansion ot the caliper to the Vdegree described, results in witlnlraaving the arms 32 and t1 from the collars 30 and 39 loosened, to the'degree desired by the operator as for instance inch as shown on scale, and said set-screw is tightened. rIhen the dish of the wheel to be used is measured, the set screw 29 is loosened, the dish-gage bar 23 is oscillated on the bolt 22 the degree desired by the operator as for instance tivo inches as shown on the scale, and 'then the set-screw 29 is tightened. Then the tool is applied to the front of the axle 17 as shown in Fig. l and the spindles are sprung just inside the shoulders 20, 21 until the degree of spring is determined by engagement of the blades land lf2 on the arms ll and ilil respectively as shown in Fig. l, thus determining the degree of gather of the spindles on the axle. rl`he tool is used first on one spindle and then reversed and used on the other spindle. Then the tool is applied to the top of the axle and the spindles are sprun g or bent downward just inside the shoulders until the degree of spring downward is determined by engagement of the blades 18 and 33 on the arms l2 and 32 respectively as indicated in a general way in Fig. 3, thus determining the degreeof dish of the spindles on the axle. It is to be understood that this tool does not bend or spring the axle or spindles, but gages and determines the degree to Which said. bending is to be done and ascertains When it is accurately done.

lhen a woodenaxle 17n is treated, it is not bent; but the spindles or axle-arms, such as 19, are shaved and reduced to the desired taper on lines determined by the use of the tool as above described, and particularly in respect of the use of skeins 18d. When said skein is used, to determine its angularity properly, a contact plate 13b on each arm of the cross-head la is extended a distance equal to the thickness of the skein and secured by the setsereu7 16 (Fig. This compensates for the thickness of the skein in. using the tool to set the first skein; then the plates 13b are loosened and Withdrawn before setting the second skein; the first skein remaining on its spindle during the operation of setting the second skein which is gaged by using the contact plate 13a.

It is to be understood the adjustment of the dish-gage bar 23, in respect of angularity to the bar l0 is determined by measuring the dish of the Wheel to be used in each spindle; and the adjustment of the gathen gage bar 21k in like manner is determined by i the mechanic using the tool or the speciiications governing the work in hand.

I claim as my invention- 1. An axle-setting tool comprising a gagebar having a iixed'cross-head on one end and an adjustable cross-head on the other end, dish-gaging and gather-gaging bars pivoted on the first bar coincident with the fixed cross-head, coacting indicator devices on saidbars, collars adjustably mounted on said latter bars, arms adj ustably mounted in said collars, and means for adjusting said arms.

2. In an'axlewsetting tool, a gage bar, a cross-head fixed thereto, a cross-head mounted on and adjustable longitudinally of the gage bar in opposition to the fixed crossheaol, contact plates on end portions of said adjustable cross-head, auxiliary contact plates on and adjustable longitiulinally of said adjustable crosshead and adapted to project beyond the iirst contact plates at times, dish-gaging and gather-gaging bars pivoted. on the first bar, interacting scales and pointers on said bars, collars mounted for longitudinal adjustment on end portions of the dish-gaging and gather-gaging bars opposite to the pointers thereof, and crossarms mounted for adjustment transversely of and carried by said collars.

3. In an axle-setting tool, a gage bar, a cross-head fixed thereto, a cross-head mounted on and adjustable longitudinally of the gage bar in opposition to the fixed crosshead, dish-gaging and gather-gaging bars pivoted on the tirst bar, interacting scale and pointers on said bars, collars mounted for longitudinal adjustment on end portions of the dish-gaging and gather-gaging bars opposite to the ointers thereof, andcrossarms mounted for adjustment transversely of and carried by said Collars.

L The combination of an axle-setting tool and a caliper and adjusting tool comprising a stem adapted for mounting on an axle, caliper arms mounted loosely on the stem, an adjusting screw journaled to the stem and threaded to the caliper arms oppositely7 and links adapted to connect the caliper arms to gage arms of the axle-setting tool.

5. In a tool of the class described, a stem, bearings thereon, caliper arms on the stem, a guide on the stem, an adjusting screyi7 loosely j ournaled in the bearings and threaded through the caliper arms oppositely, a flange on said screeT engaging said guide, links on said arms, and engaging means on said links.

JAMES I-IIRST.

Witnesses SUMNER SIBERELL, WINNIFRED L. HUGHES.

Copies o1 this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

